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North Texas police officer killed, suspect later found dead

Last Updated Jan 17, 2017 at 9:40 pm MDT

Officers stand outside the emergency room at the Denton Regional Medical Hospital after a police detective, who was shot while responding to a report of an armed man outside a house, was taken to the hospital Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, in Denton, Texas. Little Elm Police Chief Rodney Harrison said Detective Jerry Walker died Tuesday at the hospital hours after the shooting. (Tomas Gonzalez/The Denton Record-Chronicle via AP)

LITTLE ELM, Texas – A police detective has died after being shot while answering a report of an armed man outside a house in a suburban Dallas neighbourhood.

Little Elm Police Chief Rodney Harrison says Detective Jerry Walker died Tuesday night at a Denton hospital hours after the shooting.

Fire Chief Ryan Roach later said the suspect was found dead in the house after a six-hour standoff. Roach didn’t identify the suspect or give a cause of death.

Authorities say the incident began about 3 p.m. Tuesday with the report of a man outside a house, armed with a long gun. Denton County sheriff’s Lt. Orlando Hinojosa (ee-noh-HOH’-sah) says officers arrived to find an armed man screaming at them from a backyard.

As officers withdrew, the man ducked into the house and fired from a window, striking Walker.

Tactical squad officers arrived and a standoff ensued.